Apparatus for launching lifeboats



June 8 1926. 1,587,531

. R. LIBAN! APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING LFEBOATS Filed June 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Shree?I June v8y 1926. 1,587,531

. R. LIBANI APPARATUS FQR LAUNCHING LIFEBOATS Filed June 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Shee; 2

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROMOLO LIBANI, OF GENOA, ITALY.

APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING LIFEBOATS.

Application led J une 20, 1925, Serial No. 38,503, and in Italy September 25, 1924.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in launchii'ig li leboats from ships.

lhe apparatus preferably comprises:

(a) A lattice structure in the form of a cradle in which the lii'ieboat is supported;

' (o) Two standards or supports of a special type, which take the place of' the usual davits;

(c) An hydraulic brake connected to the drum around which is coiled the cables for suspending the boat-cradle system, the said brake being mounted either on the ship or in the cradle.

The hydraulic brake .iu this apparatus is preferable to the friction brakey because it is very reliable in its operation, and also because during the lowering ot the boat-cradle system the lowering speed can be easily regu lated or can be kept uniform from the beginning until the boat has reached the sea, thus avoiding` the use ot' devices for controlling the braking.

The annexed drawings diagran'nnatically show some embodiments ot' the present invention, and particularly Fig. i and Fig. 2 show respectively an end and a side view of one form oi' the present device, with the drum and the brake arranged lengthwise on the deck of the ship;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device, with the brake and the drum arranged crosswise on the deck of the ship;

Fig. t is a plan view of the device, but with the brake and drum arranged longitudinally in the cradle;

Fig. 5 is a plan view with the brake `arranged transversely o the cradle;

Fig. G is a plan vi-ew of part of the device, as shown at Figs. l and 2.

The usual davits which hold the boats are substituted by ltwo vertical standards A and l, constructed with a trellis structure of cast steel work, mounted transversely on the deck ot the ship and having outer sections C hinged or otherwise rotatably connected thereto b-y suitable pivots.

The upper edges of parts A, B, C are inclined. in the outbound direction and are provided with rails upon which engage two rollers r, r these rails carrying the cradle R.

Each of the supporting cables S is iixed at one end of the cradle and is passed around the pulleys I) and a to the winding drum T as shown in Figure 3, where the drum and brake are arranged crosswise on the ship.

The disposition oi the ropes and pulleys in another embodiment in which the brake is arranged lengthwise of the ship, has been clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 6.

rdinarily the cradle with the boat therein remains in its upper position, which is indicated in full lines in Fig. l. The rollers o, '11 are mounted on guide rails and the whole is held by the cables S, S. The hinged sections C of the standards are ordinarily in the position as shown in Fig. l and in the dotted lines at Fig. 3, viz, as a continuation of the xed parts A, B; but when projection over the ships side is objectionable the parts C can be rotated through 9()o towards the deck ot the ship, as sho-wn in full lines at Fig. 3.

p ln order to lower the boat and boat-cradle system it is suiiicient to release the brake by opening the cock V. v

By doing this, the rollers r, 1 are permitted to roll upon the rails by action of the weight of the boat, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l. When the rollers are at the lower ends of the rails, the cables S engage in the end pulleys c, o, and the cradle descends perpendicularly until the ropes are completely kuncoiled, and thus the cradle descends under the water, while the boat remains freely afloat.

. Alternatively the brake WithV the drum may be arranged on the cradle. Fig. 4 illustrates this arrangement, with the drum and the brake arranged on the same axis lengthwise of the cradle, but of course the drum with the brake could be arranged crosswise as shown in Figure 5. In the vlatter case the axes of the brake and of the drum are parallel and coupling is effected by means of two pinions O.

The hydraulic brake, of which in the drawings two embodiments are shown in section, comprises a cylindric body D in which a piston M is adapted to slide.

As the piston is rendered iiuid tight, it divides the said cylinder. into two chambers, which can communicate with each other only by means o a conduit p provided with a cock V.

A screw threaded shaft N is coupled either directly or through gears O to the drum T around which are coiled the cables S from which the cradle is suspended. The said shaft N can be screwed into the piston, so that by rotation of the threaded axle, the piston is caused to slide longitudinally, as the rotation of the piston is prevented by Suitable wings with which it is irovided, and which slide in grooves formed in the inner surface of the cylinder.

By suitably opening the cock V, the passage of the liquid from one chamber to the other can be regulated, and thus the displacement o the piston and the lowering speed of the cradle containing the boat are suitably regulated.

When the brake is arranged on the cradle; the cock V is operated by an operator in the boat. When the brake is arranged on the ship the operation is effected from aboard the ship, or if preferred, also from aboard the boat, for example, by means or" a ilexible tube, as shown at Figs. fl and 5.

I claim 1. A device of the class described, comprising a pair of supports positioned in spaced relation, a folding section hinged to each of said supports for horizontal rotation, inclined rails supported by said supports and byl said folding sections, a boatcarrying cradle, rollers mounted, on said cradle and adapted to roll on said rails, cables secured to said cradle, a winding drum for said cables, and a pair of sheaves mounted on the outer ends of the folding sections in such position that the downward movement of the cradle will carry the cables over the sheaves and into engagement therewith.

2. Apparatus for launching lifeboats comprising, a boat-carrying cradle, rollers on the ends of the cradle, supports mounted on the ship, movable sections hinged to said supports and adapted to project over the ships side, inclined rails extending along the upper edges of said supports and of said movable sections and adapted to receive said rollers, suspending cables, a drum mounted in the said cradle and carrying the cable, a control and brake device, rotary means for transmitting motion from the drum to the said device, and sheaves on said movable sections for receiving the said cables when the boat is being lowered.

3. Apparatus for launching lifeboats com prising, a boat-carrying cradle, rollers on the ends ot the cradle, supports mounted on the ship, movable sections hinged to said supports and adapted to project over the ships side, inclined rails extending along the upper edges ot said supports and of said hinged sections and serving as guides for the said rollers, suspending cables, a drum for the cables, sheaves on the hinged sections for receiving the said cables when the boat is being lowered, and a control and brake device comprising a cylinder, a piston dividing the cylinder into two chambers, screw mechanism for operating the piston from the said drum and means for controlling the passage ot' fluid from one cylinder chamber to the other to control the longitudinal movement of the piston and the rotary movement of the drum.

ll. Apparatus 'for launching liteboats comprising, a boat-carrying cradle, rollers on the ends oit the cradle, supports mounted on the ship, movable sections hinged to said supports and adapted to project over the ships side, inclined rails extending along the upper edges of said supports and serving as guides for the said rollers, suspending cables, a drum for the cables, sheaves on said movable sections for receiving the said cables when the boat is being lowered, and a control and bralre device comprising a cylinder, a piston mechanically connected with the drum and dividing the cylinder into two chambers, a pipe connecting one cylinder chamber with the other, and a valve controlling the passage of lluid through such pipe to control and regulate movement of the piston andof the cable drum.

In testimony whereof l aiiiX my signature.

ROMOLO LIBANI. 

